Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will impose a statutory requirement for ports to refuse access to ferries that do not pay its crew the national minimum wage.

Legislation will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows that intends to ensure that seafarers working on vessels that regularly use UK ports are paid at least an equivalent rate to National Minimum Wage, irrespective of the nationality of the seafarer or flag of the vessel.

We intend to do this by creating a condition of access to UK ports for such to demonstrate that they are paying their seafarers an equivalent rate to the National Minimum Wage.

We have published a public consultation on this which sets out full details of the proposals, seeking views on the scope of services this should apply to, the compliance process and have published this alongside a supporting impact assessment. We want to sure that potential impacts of the proposed Bill have been considered prior to introduction and have therefore published the impact assessment on which we welcome input from the public.